Sunday, October 10, 2021
 
Dear Cardinal Newman Families,
 
We had a wonderful Mass with Bishop Guglielmone on Friday in celebration of the Feast of St. John Henry Cardinal Newman. Following Mass we were able to award two of our students the Bobbi Rossi Memorial Scholarship. These awards went to Molly Mazoue and Connor Flynn, two seniors who embody the spirit and purpose of this award. Finally, we were able to celebrate the achievements of a number of alumni yesterday at the Athletic Hall of Fame Mass and Brunch. It was great to hear their stories, which are now our heritage. Their memories, fondly recalled, were of experiences with coaches and teachers on the previous campus at Forest Drive. Although they may not have had the generous facilities we have today, their formation was powerful, and one consistent with what we continue to offer. We benefit, here on our new grounds, from the legacy they left us.
 
PSAT Day
I want to remind all that this Wednesday is PSAT day. Students should be sure to get a good night’s sleep on Tuesday night. Testing begins at 8:30 AM. Dismissal starts at 12:20 PM. Those with extended time will continue until later in the afternoon. This day is particularly important for Juniors, who will take the test one final time before their SAT’s. Some may qualify for National Merit recognition or even a scholarship. 
 
All seventh graders will be traveling the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden for a full day Life Science lesson. They will return to campus by 1:00 PM. 
 
Seniors will have a College Visit Day. All should take advantage of this opportunity to either experience a prospective campus or to complete their applications. They should not come to school.
 
We will have aftercare that day.
 
National Merit Recognition
You may have gleaned this news from our website or social media. We have four National Merit Commended students and one Semifinalist. Congratulations to commended students Mark Boutros, Victoria Brook, Connor Flynn, and Ethan Renkin. A special congratulations to Marshall Seezen, who is a National Merit Semifinalist. Well done to all!
 
Uniforms
As we move forward in the year, I ask that we pay particular attention to our attire. Students should be attentive to the having proper shirts and ties, hair length, skirt length, and appropriate khaki pants. 
 
End of the Quarter
Next week brings the first quarter to a close. Grades will be calculated and captured by Tuesday, October 19th. They will be sent home by the end of that week. Please be reminded that these are grades of record. 
 
New to Us
Please welcome Mr. Willian Gardner, who joins us this coming week as a teacher of physics. Below is a brief bio of Mr. Gardner. We are grateful to have him as a member of our community.
 
Mr. William Gardner earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University. Recently, he taught Calculus, Statistics, Algebra II, and Personal Finance at the high school level in Tennessee. Prior to teaching, Mr. Gardner worked in manufacturing, sales, and general management for 26 years.
 
Bill and his wife Patty have four children, the youngest of whom headed to college this year. They moved to Columbia this summer to enjoy the outdoor activities that South Carolina has to offer and are excited to join the Cardinal Newman Family.
 
New Parent Social – October 14th
We are asking all new families to join us this Thursday evening for our New Parent Social! Please be sure to RSVP at New Parent Social - October 14 . You can also just send me an email to let me know that you are attending.
 
Coffee with the Principal
Please join us for this year’s first Coffee with the Principal on October 20th at 8:40 AM. Hear a little more about the direction and initiatives at Cardinal Newman. Take some time to get to know other parents, meet Fr. Frei, and ask me, the principal, any questions you may have. I look forward to seeing you there.
 
Pursuit of Academic Excellence
One aspect of our mission, of our goal for each student here at Cardinal Newman, is that they are continually challenged to pursue academic excellence. The challenge, we believe, should be appropriate to where they are developmentally, while encouraging them to run towards and not away from intellectual pursuits. As they strive towards this excellence, they will wrestle with issues that arise across their curriculum in literature, mathematics, science and history, as well as in economics, social justice, physical and mental health, scriptural exegesis and moral reasoning. We want them to grow to become young women and men who are prepared to tackle the needs of our world with a well-formed intellect and a thoroughly Catholic understanding of reality. 
 
School is closed tomorrow. Some of you may be participating in the Cardinal Club’s Golf Outing. If so, I will see you there.

Christs Peace,
Robert A. Loia
Principal
We challenge our students to embrace truth, pursue academic excellence, act with integrity, lead courageously, work for justice, and engage in generous service.